The Valentine Stranger
by Joe5
Summary: Tigress receives a mysterious love letter.


Disclaimer: I do not own KFP or its characters.

A/N Inspired by KFP244's awesome Valentine's Day fic and the Midnight Stranger episode from Legends of Awesomeness. Also my first fanfic, so don't expect anything great lol.

The Valentine Stranger

Tigress was fighting the wooden warriors in the training hall when a furry paw brushed the back of her neck. She whirled around, ready to claw off their face. "Who the—"

It was Po, a ridiculous grin on his face. "Hi, Tigress!"

She sighed. "Hello, Po. I'm in the middle of training, so if you don't mind—"

"I know, I know, but Zeng just brought all the Valentine letters in. Don't you want to see if you got one?"

"No."

"Wait, what…why not?"

"Because Valentine's Day is a waste of time, and I have more important things to do. Like this." She delivered a hard strike to the wooden warrior.

"Love is a waste of time?" Po said.

Tigress clenched her teeth. "Yes it is, now please leave."

"But—"

"I said leave."

Tigress tried to ignore the worried glance Po gave her as he left. Love? She scowled. What an overrated emotion, it leads to weakness, nothing more. She lived her whole life without it, she didn't need it now.

The training hall door closed. The only sound was the harsh crack of wood meeting fist.

* * *

Po was in the kitchen with the other members of the Furious Five. They sifted through the piles of cards on the table.

"This one says my eyes melt his heart." Viper said.

"That's nothing! Mine says I'm the sexiest mantis she's ever seen." Mantis said. "I really have to meet this chick."

Monkey peered over Po's shoulder. "How come you haven't opened any cards, Po?"

Po's brow furrowed as he searched through the pile. There's got to be one in here. "I'm trying to find one that's for Tigress."

The room went silent. They looked nervously at each other. Crane cleared his throat. "Umm Po, Tigress never gets letters for Valentine's Day."

"What, why? Tigress is totally awesome." Po said.

"Yeah, but if someone sent her something like a love letter, she'd probably bite their heads off." Mantis said.

"Or worse," Monkey said.

Po frowned, remembering what Tigress had said to him.

"They just don't see her softer side," Viper said. "If they did, I'm sure she'd get tons of letters."

Crane laughed. "Yeah, the softer side."

Po looked down at a letter in his hand, he had an idea.

The softer side.

* * *

Night descended upon the Jade Palace. When Tigress left the training hall, she sighed. Normally she would've liked the calm and quiet that night brought, but not this time. The darkness only reminded her how lonely she felt. She wanted nothing more than to forget the whole day.

"Master Tigress,"

"Zeng? What are you doing out this late?"

The goose came up to her and bowed. He pulled out a scarlet letter, golden runes etched on it. "A Valentine letter came for you; I thought you'd want to have it as soon as possible."

Her heart stopped. "For…me?"

"I was surprised too. "

Tigress glared at him.

"I-I mean g-goodnight Master Tigress!" He bowed and ran off.

She raced back to her room, never taking her gaze off the letter. She looked over her shoulder, and closed the door. Should she open it? What did it say? Tigress bit her lip as she read the letter, a flutter in her stomach.

_Dear Master Tigress,_

_Happy Valentine's Day! For years I have admired you, too shy to say anything. But now, my love can wait no longer. Out of all the Furious Five, you are the most awesome. But other than kicking butt and being awesome, I can totally tell there's a softer side to you. A side that no one sees, a side that you hide behind your hardcoreness. But I see it .I see a vulnerable kitten who just wants some love. Am I right? Anyways even though I bet you get loads of love letters, I hope mine makes you really happy._

_Sincerely_

_-The Valentine Stranger_

She read it over and over again. The Valentine Stranger? She realized she was blushing and set the letter down. She needed to know more! Tigress grabbed a blank parchment and started writing down her reply.

* * *

The morning gong rang, Master Shifu surveyed his students… something was wrong. Tigress wasn't there. What in the name of Oogway was going on? Master Shifu ran to her room, fearing the worst. Had his Tigress been hurt? Poisoned by some assassin? Only something extreme could make her miss the morning gong. "Tigress are you—"

His jaw dropped.

Tigress was sleeping in her chair, her head snoring gently on her desk.

"Somebody wake her up."

They hesitated, who wanted to have the pleasant duty of waking up Tigress?

Tigress dreamed.

"Do you love me?" She said. Her tail swished back and forth.

The Valentine Stranger was a muscular, great furred beast. His features were obscured by shadow, except for his eyes. The epitome of manliness. "Of course I do, my love." He looked at her; his eyes peered into her very soul. "No one will hurt you while I'm around."

She blushed. Finally someone who was more hardcore than she was. Someone who loved her. He held out his arms, she pounced into his loving embrace. He screamed.

"Get her off!"

"Somebody help him!"

Her eyes shot open. She stared right into Monkey's frightened face.

"M—Monkey?"

"Please don't hurt me!"

She was hauled to her feet. Shifu smoldered at her. "Tigress, what is the meaning of this?!"

She looked around, they were all in her room; staring at her as if she was possessed by some crazed demon; all except for Po, who had the biggest smile on his face. "I…" She glanced at the note on the desk; no one had noticed it. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"Forgive me, Master, I over trained last night."

His eyes softened. "I understand, but this better not happen again."

She bowed "Yes, Master."

That was close.

* * *

It had been a few months since the incident. Tigress had delivered her letter to Zeng who promised he would get it back to the Stranger. He swore secrecy, for which she was extremely grateful.

The Valentine Stranger had replied to her message and the two of them began writing to each other frequently. She felt more in love each time she read his letters. He was funny, sweet, and charming. Tigress was also surprised at how well he knew her personality. How he knew so much, almost as though he lived with her.

Her training had fallen to the wayside; everyone grew concerned for her, even Shifu. But none of them understood how she felt. She dared not tell them especially Po, for fear of what they would think. The laughs, the jokes…No, it was best if she never told them at all.

She had to meet him, but he said it was impossible because he lived far away.

But nothing was impossible; no one would stop her from meeting her true love, The Valentine Stranger.

* * *

Po was making dinner in the kitchen when he heard someone sneaking in the hallway.

"Mantis? I told you five times already, dinners not ready yet!"

Tigress emerged from the shadows, "Hello, Po."

"Oh, hey Ti—" He noticed the large pack she was wearing ,"What's that for?"

"I'm leaving."

"What, why?!"

She avoided his gaze, "You wouldn't understand."

"Try me."

She took a deep breath. "You were right all along, Po. Love isn't a waste of time." She smiled shyly. "And I know you'll find this hard to believe but… I got a letter from someone; he calls himself 'The Valentine Stranger'."

He chuckled nervously "Y-you don't say…"

"Oh, Po you should hear the way he writes, his words make me feel so… alive. I've never felt this way before about anyone. I'm going to meet with him; I don't care how far he is."

"B-but what about the others? Master Shifu? Me? What happened to Kung Fu?"

"This is more important than Kung Fu."

Po gasped. "Who are you?!"

She hugged him. "You've been a great friend and we've been through a lot together, but he and I were meant to be. I'm sorry."

She started to walk out the door.

He put a paw on her shoulder. "Wait, Tigress!"

"Po… you're not stopping me."

"Ok, but I have to tell you something. Promise you won't get mad?"

"What is it?"

"I'm the one who's been sending you letters."

She stood there expressionless for a moment, and then burst out laughing. "Nice try, Po, but it's not going to work."

"Wait, I'll prove it." He ran to his room and came back with a handful of letters. "See these are the ones you've been sending me. Or should I say, the Valentine Stranger?"

She snatched one of the letters from his paw and read it. Her hands started to tremble.

"Now do you believe—"

A vicious punch sent him flying across the room. He hit the table with a loud _crack_, a bowl of noodles splattered on his head. The slam of Tigress' door deafened his ears.

Mantis walked in.

"Hey is dinner…Oh."

"Yeah…"

* * *

Tigress sat on her bed, fighting back hot tears. _He made a fool out of me. What did I ever do to him?_ Po got her to reveal a side of herself she didn't know she had. And she hated him for it.

The letters seemed so real, so genuine, but of course it was too good to be true. She should've known no one had sent her anything. No one loved her. Her fist tightened. Her gaze fell on the pile of letters she stashed in the corner. Just another one of his stupid pranks.

Right?

She picked up one of the letters and read it one more time. It had to be a prank. It had to be. Someone knocked on her door.

"Go away." Tigress said.

Po's head poked in. "Hey, Ti—"

"Haven't you done enough?" The letter crumpled in her fist.

"Look, I know I should've told you earlier." He hesitated "But I just wanted you to have a Valentine's letter too, so you wouldn't feel left out."

She faced him, an angry tear coursed down her cheek. "Then why did you keep writing, replying, making me feel like I was actually in love? Is that your sick idea for a prank, Po?"

"No, no! It's nothing like that."

"Then?"

"Well uhh…because"

He stood in silence, looking at the floor; a mortified look on his face.

Realization dawned on her. She walked towards him. "Po, were you actually serious? The letters I mean."

"…yes."

They stared at each other awkwardly for a bit.

She kissed him on the cheek.

His eyes widened.

"Not a word of this gets to the others. Now get out." Tigress said.

Po tried to talk, but just mumbled something incoherent. He dumbly nodded and stumbled on his way out.

After he was gone, Tigress couldn't help but look at the pile of letters.

She smiled.


End file.
